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Canfield High pilots program to pitch project ideas
CANFIELD
Canfield High School students count down the days until a winner is chosen for the Junior Achievement of Mahoning Valley, JA Quick Pitch: Pitch it to win it! competition.
Seven teams of three students each came up with 60-second video product pitches for the contest. The teams are competing for two cash prizes of $375 for best product idea and $175 for best video presentation.
The competition also can lead to actually producing students’ ideas for local businesses.
Melissa D’Apolito, JA program and special-events marketing coordinator, said this program serves as a pilot for all JA school participants at the beginning of the 2016-17 school year.
Only students in Canfield business teacher Sherry Creighton’s class had the opportunity to take part in this soft launch, trying out the idea for students across the Mahoning Valley.
“The pilot is going very smooth,” D’Apolito said. “It’s very interesting to get the videos because they did it entirely on their own.”
In addition to the videos, students prepared in-person pitches. Those who take the project to the next level can use the pitches to try to pitch to local businesses.
“Promoting entrepreneurship is vital to our region’s continued economic development. JA Quick Pitch gives student entrepreneurs a chance to present their business idea,” said Michele Merkel, president of Junior Achievement of Mahoning Valley.
Not all students in Creighton’s class participated, but D’Apolito said she was happy to provide the opportunity to those who did.
“It’s something they’ve never done before,” D’Apolito said. “It’s neat just giving students the opportunity to explore it, whether or not it’s something they decide to go into in the future.”
Votes can be placed at http://warren-youngstown.ja.org until 11:59 p.m. Monday.
D’Apolito said she expects a winner to be announced sometime Tuesday.